Baby massage promotes bonding – Red Bluff Daily News

A multi-day training to teach pediatric massage led by JoAnn Lewis of Ashland, Oregon, took place at the Red Bluff Community Center. Numerous agencies participated. (Contributed)

RED BLUFF – A respectful and trusting human touch can lead to greater bond and understanding between parents and children, according to health and wellness professionals.

First 5 Tehama organized a baby massage trainer the last week of April and the first week of May. There were 16 professionals who participated in the training, including home visitors, health educators, early educators and behavioral specialists. The participants received their training certification through Infant Massage USA.

“This is timely as the child abuse rate in Tehama is 78.9 per 1,000, which is higher than California’s rate of 43.5 per 1,000. Infant massage is an evidence-based technique to calm babies and relieve parental stress, including preventing child abuse due to shaken baby syndrome,” said Heidi Mendenhall, Executive Director of First 5 Tehama.

Other Tehama County programs involved in the training include Help Me Grow Tehama County, Tehama County Library, Tehama County Healthy Families Tehama, Northern California Child Development Inc., and E-Center Migrant Seasonal Head Start and Migrant Early Head Start. Participants from outside the region also attended the training.

Jeana Williams, Tehama County Healthy Families Supporter, participated in the training. Williams goes to homes and helps parents support them in their parenting roles. She said she will pass on this training one-on-one with parents or in parent groups.

“This is a great course. It is beneficial for parents and babies,” Williams said.

The baby massage training was brought to the community for home visitors and people who work with families to help them learn a valuable tool that helps them bond with their children and build strong attachments, which promotes happy feelings in both babies and can increase the family members. . According to Michelle Schmidt, supervisory PHN of Tehama County Health Services Agency, the baby massage can also provide relaxation and help soothe and soothe babies.

“Babies will often go through a period of more intense crying when they are about two weeks old, which can last until the third to fifth month. This can be very stressful for parents and baby massage can be a powerful tool in helping them build strong bonds during this time. This can also help prevent child abuse and neglect, and positively impact the mental health of both the child and the parents,” Schmidt said.

Trainer JoAnn Lewis from Ashland, Oregon is a certified child massage teacher. She trains “parents and caregivers to use nurturing touch so that families become healthier and happier,” she said. Lewis has been a trainer in this field since 1997. She said this training is conducted in 90 countries and at most military bases.

“This is an age-old tradition of basic care in many countries and cultures. It teaches trust and respect,” Lewis said. “I would like to see it implemented everywhere so that it becomes the norm. People do nothing, generation after generation, for no reason.”

Lewis said infant massage promotes better bonding, and by teaching the right trust, it helps break the cycle of abuse.

Infant Massage USA is an internationally recognized, comprehensive certification training for parents. The personal training is approved for continuing education units in 11 professional areas, including nurses, occupational therapists, licensed massage therapists, physical therapists and lactation consultants.